The hours were long and the approach was unusual but Tim Ramis and his team, including Dan Olsen and Shelby Rihala, succeeded in doing what others have been unable to do in recent years – an approved urban growth boundary expansion for their client, the City of Scappoose.

Following a decision of the Oregon Court of Appeals, Scappoose now includes a 380-acre parcel of industrial land within its urban growth boundary. Ramis and his team successfully represented Scappoose, and this result is expected to change the way other Oregon city cases regarding urban growth boundaries are reviewed and resolved.

“The decision recognizes that local communities should have more control over growth planning,” says Ramis.

It is rare that a city will approve a heavily contested urban growth boundary expansion. However, with an airport nearby, the City of Scappoose believes that airport-related businesses will utilize the land and help address the lack of employment opportunities in the region. Although there are no set plans for the newly incorporated land, the city’s goal is to spur job growth for current residents as well as attracting new residents.

Ramis and his team were honored at the Daily Journal of Commerce’s eighth annual Newsmakers Awards Luncheon, which recognizes noteworthy contributions to the local architecture, engineering, and construction industries over the past year. Each year, the afternoon brings together a crowd of influential people that have made an impact in the built environment.